A man whose public proposal won hearts among passersby and TikTok viewers has been revealed as a convicted murderer who once said prison life was ‘brilliant’.
David Thompson, 42, has earned himself the nickname ‘monster’ after a string of offences – and was convicted for pouring hot coffee over his ex-wife in a Valentine’s Day attack last year.
But unknowing crowds swooned over him in Belfast’s Victoria Square last month as he got down on one knee, surrounded by rose petals, and popped the question to his now-fiancée.
The Sunday World reports Thompson has several other convictions to his name including robberies, GBH, criminal damage and escaping from lawful custody. He is understood to have recently been released from Maghaberry Prison and moved to an open jail, but still has to follow strict rules and curfews.
However, speaking to the media outlet, his fiancée insists he’s a ‘gentleman’ and that she’s ‘the girl to change him’.
A man who is a convicted murderer went viral on TikTok after his fiancée posted a clip of his romantic public proposal online
Natalie, who revealed that she’s known Thompson ‘for years’ and is aware of his past, claims he’s ‘done his time’ and has changed.
She also stressed that he’s clean from drugs now.
‘I’m not some random girl who’s just met him. I’ve known him for years and we’ve had a wee connection for a long time but we’ve never been able to do anything about it,’ the bride-to-be gushed.
‘I got talking to him properly when he was out a couple of years ago — just before he went away for the coffee attack.’
She uploaded their festive proposal, which happened just a week before Christmas, onto TikTok, set to Diana Ross and Lionel Richie’s rendition of Endless Love. It has since racked up more than 2,000 views.
Natalie, who revealed that she’s known Thompson ‘for years’ and is aware of his past, claims he’s ‘done his time’ and has changed
She uploaded their festive proposal, which happened just a week before Christmas onto TikTok, set to Diana Ross and Lionel Richie’s rendition of Endless Love
Thompson was jailed for the murder of 27-year-old Ryan Neill in 2001, the Belfast Telegraph reports.
The victim’s unconscious body was found near an Antrim bar after an assault, and he died weeks later. Thompson was released on license in 2016, after serving 15 years of the life sentence.
In 2022, he found himself convicted once again – this time for three months – after throwing a mug of scalding coffee over the back of his ex-wife’s head, allegedly following an ‘argument’.
He claimed the pair became involved when he was in custody and tied the knot in 2012.
The Sunday World reports that in 2019, Thompson was returned to jail after footage emerged of him ‘beating up a teenager and a man with special needs outside a shop in Antrim in a shocking unprovoked attack’ – while out on licence.
Last autumn, the BBC released a documentary titled Jailed: Inside Maghaberry Prison, where they spoke to inmates, including Thompson – who described life in jail as ‘brilliant’.
‘Like it’s not hard,’ he explained.
David Thompson, 42, who’s reportedly been nicknamed ‘Monster’ – had crowds swooning when he got down on one knee, surrounded by rose petals, at Belfast ‘s Victoria Square
Last autumn, the BBC released a documentary titled Jailed: Inside Maghaberry Prison, where they spoke to inmates, including Thompson – who showed the camera his ‘Fear God’ tattoo
Thompson also stressed he enjoys the ‘quality time’ he gets while locked in the cell.
‘It’s all about the mind,’ he told presenter Stephen Nolan. ‘What do I want out for? A burger? Sure you get some meat here.
‘Regarding sex? Sure you can do yourself in the cell. It’s not a big deal. What else would you need?’
Sunday World also says that local sources suggest Thompson is ‘fearful’ of his brother Gary, who is in Maghaberry Prison.
According to the outlet, this is due to his role in events related to the 2015 murder of a Nelson Cheung.